Shuck Em and Suck Em

 Down here in these parts, we are told that the best oyster eating months are those with an "R" in it.  (Luckily, that means most months!)

For the past 28 years there has been an oyster roast held at Boone Hall Plantation to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House.  Most years, the weather is crappy.  But, yesterday, it was in the 70s, sunny, and every single person in the  lowcountry turned out for this thing.

Okay, not EVERYONE, but it sure seemed like it.  Cars were backed up onto the interstate from the exit.  It took some people 90 minutes to get into the grounds.  We parked and were transported in a vehicle used for hay rides.  B U M P Y  (but fun!)  I do enjoy breathing in the tractor exhaust.  Cough Cough.

 They started the day with over 30 tons of oysters.  By 1:30, they had run out of oysters, and had to bring in 5 more tons.   They ran out of crackers.  The beer line was so long, we didn't even stand in it.  (folks, this is serious business!)  There were bands, oyster eating contests  (the winner ate 6 and 1/2 cups of raw oysters in 3 minutes!!)  The weather was gorgeous, and fun was had by all.

I did manage to eat some oysters.  No, these are not all mine.  Look at this cute little fella.  I mean the one in the hat, of course.  This is our friend, Bryce, and his cutie patootie son, River.  This was River's first oyster roast.  I think he enjoyed the bumpy hayride more than the oyster roast.

Here's Taylor's new red hair.  I love it.  She goes back tomorrow for another application, and then it should stick a bit better.  Meet Damon, her boyfriend.  Damon is Vegan, so he wasn't real interested in the oysters. But Taylor?  That girl will eat them as long as you put them in front of her.

And why, when I hold babies, do I make the most retarded faces?